Like a storyteller before the age of print, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings preserve true soul music through decades of dilution and gimmickry. Though James Brown and the Stax sound are still heard on recordings, this is the crew that keeps it new. Jones’ career rebirth in her 50s may not have occurred without the Dap-Kings, who have also graced Amy Winehouse with their smokey brass-guitar dialogue. “I’ll Still Be True,” for one, invites a lengthy jam, but the band just gives you a taste. Jones seems at turns vulnerable and wise. She can, with trust in her backup that continues to grow.
This article appears in Apr 29 – May 5, 2010.